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Thursday, December 31, 2009

Okay, I have had a not so good year. Everything you can imagine has gone wrong. We even had a cat burglar. Yes, a cat broke into our house in the middle of the night! The skylight in the kitchen was left open one night and the cat fell through the screen. It was so scared it ran up the walls, onto shelves and through the house, breaking things as it went. We, my husband, me and my sons, all in our p.j.'s and half asleep, finally got it out the patio door!
The septic went kaput, relationships failed, new business ventures didn't turn out, I could go on and on... but one of my new year's resolutions is to be more positive. So I will say that in light of a bad year....

We are healthy
My children are alive
We have been able to pay our bills every month
I'm slowly getting new sales on etsy
I stood up for myself this year in, when others tried to control me!!!!
I have learned the art of being frugal
I am praying more
I am learning to forgive
Our fridge is stocked full of food
I have a car that takes me where I want to go

This year, 2010, I want to....
Forgive even more freely
Spend more time with my kids
Respect my husband more
Be thankful for the little things.... like, a running washing machine, or that I have a hot shower, hey.. how about that I can see and hear and walk!
I want to have more compassion.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

OH what to do!! Should I read, sew, eat, clean, do laundry?? I know I SHOULD do something productive, but all I want to do is lay down too. Does everyone else get giddy when nap time nears? And then I get frantic when I know I only have about 20 min. left before she wakes up.
What do mamma's do when their babies sleep?

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

So I sat down to sew a new bag... the lining of this bag is vintage white cotton. When it is time to iron out the seams, I take a deep breath and breathe in the smell of vintage linens. What is it about old linens that smell so good? Am I alone in this? I remember my mom's bed sheets, old 100% pure cotton. The had a certain scent. It smelled like home. It meant safety. As I stand there ironing memories flood my brain...
I am on my second marriage, my first marriage was 5 days before I turned 19, it was a "have to" marriage. Anyways it was abusive. My parents welcomed me back when I left him. And I remember climbing into the guest room bed, into those clean, pressed, vintage cotton sheets... they had that smell, the home smell. I lay down on the pillow case and breathed it in and cried, I felt so safe snuggled up in my mom's sheets. The nausea you get when your extremely stressed? That instantly went away the moment I smelled the sheets...
Years later after my mom passed away, my sister and I divided up my mom's linens. I have had them for...well, for 13 years now, she died in 1996. They still smell the same way, when I grab them off the shelf and crumple them up under my nose, I cry thinking of her.
They don't make sheets like that anymore, I hunt for them at estate sales. I hope my girls have good memories like my vintage linen memories of my mom :) Happy sniffing.
I am posting a picture of the Lollibag I made today, along with the barbie dress Portia designed. I have to take a moment to tell you that Lauren is teaching Portia how to use a sewing machine, it is really quite sweet and loving to watch and listen to them. Here are the photo's.

Today I took my 3 girls out to antique stores. They like to look for vintage buttons, fabrics, and patterns. I have taught them well, and I can tell they are listening! Here is what we found.

I bought 6 vintage I Love Ice Cream pins, a vintage powder box and a vintage charm bracelet of the Hawaiian Islands. My husband was born and raised in Hawaii, so I love vintage Hawaiian stuff!

Portia, my 7 yr old, bought these vintage yellow and green buttons, the vintage brown fabric you see in the background. She is planning on making barbie clothes with the fabric and buttons.

Portia also found the political button from the 1950's. Cute, the things little girls want to buy! I like the 1940's Red Cross pin.
Lauren found this vintage pattern and plans on making the bottom right dress. She told her grandpa at lunch that she plans on making 5 dresses before he comes for a visit next!

Monday, December 28, 2009

Are there blogging rules? Well I know I already blogged today, but I just had a vintage moment.The girls and I are watching a vintage movie, The Opposite Sex, 1956. The beginning is just DIVINE! My dream vintage world, the women are all in dresses and going to the vintage beauty shop, with vinatge hair dryers, pink everywhere! I said, oh girls! look, it's my dream world, I wish I lived then. Portia my 7 year old said, "but mom, you did live then." ha ha, I said no honey that was way before my time!Kids are so sweet aren't they?

Well I have decided within the last year that, that is what I am. I do not always feel vintage or like it. But... since I love all things vintage I've decided I should embrace it.

I feel like I've been a mother FOREVER! In some ways I have been. My oldest son was born when I was 18, just 3 months out of high school. I have always wanted to be a young, hip mom, and I was for a long time. But lately I have noticed my kids don't think so.... HUH???? I have realized alot of things after the age of 35, mostly light bulb moments of , Oh that is how my mom felt!

My teenage boys no longer want to hang out with me, my teenage daughter does not think I am fashionable anymore and my 7 yr old thinks I am old.But I still feel like I'm 22, I tell them! So this is what my mom meant when she said that.

I was wandering through Macy's on Sunday, with no kids :) And I felt lost, I didn't fit into the loud music, teenybopper section with the screenprinted glitter t-shirts, but I am really not ready to shop in the Charter Club section.. no way..so in my confusion I headed to the purses and cosmetics, I always feel at home there. Yes I did come home with a new purse, wallet, lipgloss, and eyeshadow and that was pure bliss.I am getting off track here... sometimes I feel so worn out, frustrated, confused, being a mom is hard, hard work. Some days I truly feel the horrible side of vintage. But other days I feel the wonderful side of vintage, like, I have earned these gray hairs starting to pop up, and I have earned that pooch on my stomache by giving birth to 5 wonderful gifts from God. And at that moment I feel every ounce of frustration and all the tears and worry is all worth it. I feel weathered and worn and aged, all things I look for in a great vintage item. So when I feel that way, I am going to embrace it and remember.. you only get this way after many years of use or "service" as a mother. I love being able to say I've been a mom for 19 years! I love saying I am the proud mother of 5 children! Yes, I am a vintage mom!